A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will observe local elections in Georgia, including the first direct elections of the Mayor of Tbilisi, on 30 May 2010.

On 27 and 28 May the delegation will meet with representatives of government and electoral bodies, amongst them the Chairman of the Parliament, Davit Bakradze and the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Davit Tkeshelalvili. Meetings are scheduled also with media and local NGO representatives. Views will be exchanged with members of the OSCE/ODIHR delegation.

Congress Vice-President Günther Krug (Germany, SOC) will head a delegation, which will include also four members of the European Union’s Committee of the Regions. As a part of the cooperation agreement between the two institutions.

A pre-election mission was carried out at the beginning of May in Tbilisi and Rustavi to assess the situation in the country prior to the elections. On this occasion, Congress members met representatives of electoral bodies, representatives of government and Parliament, as well as candidates from the ruling party and from the opposition to the post of Mayor of Tbilisi.

The delegation will present its findings during a press conference scheduled
for Monday 31 May at 11 am (Hotel Ambasadori, 13 Shavteli St. – Tbilisi).)